


A Cure for this Feeling

by Flightglow32



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 05:28:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14254008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flightglow32/pseuds/Flightglow32
Summary: When Hermione wakes up in the Hospital Wing after the battle at the ministry, she's surprised to see Madam Pomfrey's new trainee healer.





	A Cure for this Feeling

With consciousness came pain.

 

Hermione’s eyes flashed open, laboured breaths coming out as desperate gasps as pain gripped her chest, someone was there talking to her; she could barely make out who it was or what they were saying.

 

Fingers brushed dampness off her cheeks, as a cup touched her lips. The liquid stung her tongue and throat as she was forced to swallow. The pain around her chest eased enough for her eyes to recognise the face of the person holding her up. She barely had the chance to process the knowledge as Madam Pomfrey poured another potion down her throat. With no strength to hold herself up, she collapsed backwards against the firm body that had squeezed in behind her, kneeling on her bed. His arms moved to accommodate the new position, one hand snaking around her waist, the other pressed against her forehead keeping her steady as another potion was tipped into her mouth.

 

Madam Pomfrey bustled away with a chink of potion bottles and quickly whispered instructions to her assistant.

 

Theodore Nott gently lowered her to the bed moving out from behind her. Hermione struggled to keep her eyes open, fighting against the mix of potions in her body. Sleep pulled at her as she tried to form a question; she has so many but only one really matters, “why…” her mouth was too dry to continue.

 

A cup filled with cool water was pressed to her lips as she swallowed the small amount allowed.

 

“That… ask me again when you're fully conscious,” Theo said sighing deeply.

 

A low groan came from behind the curtains. Theo rolled his eyes before turning to find the gap, going to attend to the other patient.

 

Darkness took her once again.

 

* * *

  


“He's a git,” Ron said as they watched Theo walk out the hospital wing doors.

 

She hadn't had a chance to ask him the question again. It had been two days. He wouldn't talk if Ron was awake. Not that Ron gave him the chance to speak.

 

“He doesn't seem that bad,” Hermione shrugged before wincing, clutching her ribs.

 

“I don't trust him.”

 

“Well Madam Pomfrey does, so that's good enough for me,” Hermione stated. Theo was always there when Madam Pomfrey was attending to her.

 

“He's a Slytherin and one of Malfoy’s buddies. He's up to something.”

 

“ Your reasons for disliking him are no better than Malfoy’s reasons for disliking me. He's never done anything bad to us.”

 

Ron opened his mouth to reply before closing it slowly, watching Hermione carefully.

 

“Yet,” Ron breathed out, Hermione chose to ignore it.

 

* * *

  
  


A healer visited from St Mungo’s to look at Ron’s scarring. The treatment he recommended meant that Ron would be placed in a coma for two days. Hermione caught Theo’s tiny smirk before he corrected himself.

 

* * *

 

Harry didn’t visit much. Ron had told her not to mention Sirius but she knew Harry needed to talk about it. Even if he didn't think he did.

 

As exams were over, Theo had been excused from his classes. Madam Pomfrey needed the extra support with so many long term residents as well as the frequent injuries from the students. He had always seemed so cold and aloof, however that facade disappeared when the small ones came in.

 

With Ron asleep, Hermione hoped she would finally have a chance to ask her questions. She watched him frequently but still didn't know why. Why would he want to work in the hospital wing? Why would he help them when his father had just been arrested because of them?

 

There were questions she couldn't ask though. Questions he couldn't answer. Like how had she never noticed that when the sunlight bounces off his hair, it shines blue? When had his jawline and cheekbones become so well defined? When had the timbre of his voice sunk? The rumble of his laughter warmed her belly. She wondered if it had always sounded that way.

 

Clearly, she was delirious. Something in the potions she was being given affected her brain, or her hormones, or _something_. There had to be a logical reason why she couldn't look away when he rolled up his sleeves, showing the pale skin of his forearms. She wondered how long that skin would stay untainted. The way he flinched when he noticed her fixed gaze told her it would happen eventually. He would be marked the same as his father was.

 

The hospital wing was quiet this late. After dinner but before curfew. Her friends had long left. Only herself and Ron were occupying the wing that night, and Ron was not waking up anytime soon. Madam Pomfrey was collecting empty potion bottles to take down to her weekly meeting with Professor Snape. Hermione picked at her blanket, ears straining as she pretended to sleep. As the voices got louder she stilled her hands and slowed her breaths.

 

“...both of our patients are asleep, so there shouldn't be much for you to do. Just be here in case an emergency patient comes in, call for a house elf to alert me if someone does appear, but hopefully that won't happen.” The door closed heavily, leaving silence in its wake.

 

Despite not hearing his footsteps, she could feel his presence at the end of her bed. Hermione figured that expensive shoes were just that quiet.

 

“You, are a terrible actress,” Theo said. She could hear the smirk in his voice. Turning over she gave up the pretence of sleep.

 

“Madam Pomfrey seemed to believe it,” Hermione said sitting up, blankets pooling around her waist.

 

“Madam Pomfrey, suffers from wilful ignorance as the result of too many years of hearing shit excuses from students lying about their injuries,” he said rolling his eyes.

 

“Is that your professional medical opinion?” Hermione giggled, enjoying seeing his lighter side.

 

“I’m not sure I’m qualified enough to have one of those yet,” Theo said sighing dramatically. Hermione laughed again clutching at her ribs. All trace of amusement vanished as he rushed around to the side of the bed, as Hermione gasped, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. “Sorry, I shouldn’t make you laugh when you’re still this sick.”

 

“It’s okay. I like seeing this side of you. It’s a rare sight to see a Slytherin drop their mask. It’s nice.” Hermione smiled with glassy eyes.

 

“I don’t like seeing you hurt like this,” Theo said sinking into the chair beside her bed. “It reminds me of what’s to come.”

 

“Do you think there will be a war?” Hermione asked quietly, one eye on Theo as his mask slipped back into place. The one he wore in public, his shield to keep anyone getting too close to him. She knew this mask, the face he wore day to day, was the reason she had never paid much attention to him. It made him invisible. Just by bringing up this stony facade he became a different person.

 

“Are we not already? Were you not wounded in a battle of good versus evil?” Theo asked her, sarcasm lacing his every word.

 

“I suppose that’s one way to consider it. Does that mean you’ve picked your side?”

 

“Picked? It’s hardly my choice now, is it? My father, who is my only family, is now in Azkaban. Although, I doubt he will be there long. My Godfather is also in Azkaban. As I’m underage, custody transfers to my Godmother, Narcissa Malfoy. I’m to spend the summer at Malfoy Manor.” Theo paused, carefully considering his next words. “I won’t be the only house guest they have staying there, especially now. The only people who have ever cared for me chose my side for me. Should I abandon them all? Knowing they’ll be tortured for my defection? Where would I go? I can’t access any of my gold. I’ll be hunted down. Adrian Pucey, do you remember him? He tried to escape, his father was asked to present him for the mark. We all witnessed what happened when they caught him. We were made to watch what happens when you try to escape your ‘destiny’. Adrian was made to watch as his family were tortured and killed. Is that something I should inflict upon my father, godparents, and Draco?”

 

It was the most Hermione had ever heard him say. He had barely moved a muscle but was breathing as though he had run a marathon. He stared at her hard as he waited for a reply.

 

She didn’t have one.

 

“I do have a plan,” Theo said carefully, “Perhaps not the best plan but it should get me through the war relatively unscaved. I’ve offered to be a healer. As a healer, I can be non-combative. An agreement was made during the last war that healers would not raise their wands nor have wands raised at them. The Dark Lord has accepted my request. I made the request at Easter, Professor Snape arranged this position for me. Madam Pomfrey is aware of my situation. She has been very understanding.”

 

Hermione tried to speak a few times but hesitated. She had always believed there was only right and wrong, good and evil. That the world could be divided into black and white, nice neat categories that meant there was always a clear answer to a moral problem. Suddenly, the world felt very grey.

 

“Why would you tell me this? If we’re going to be on opposite sides…”

 

“I’ve seen you watching me,” Theo said. Hermione hoped the low lighting hid the sudden redness in her cheeks. “I’ve seen the questions burning behind your eyes. I’ve heard what Weasley said about me. Those are some of my reasons at least but mostly… I want someone to know. When the dust settles, however it plays out, I want someone to know that I didn’t choose what comes next. That despite how little choice I had, I tried my best.”

 

“You think you’ll lose?”

 

“Maybe I’m hoping we will. It’s late, you should sleep. You’ve got a war to win,” Theo said corners of his mouth twitching.

 

“Maybe I could…”

 

“You can’t save me, Granger. There are more important things to apply that brain to.” Theo stood, hovering as though he was struggling with something. He leaned over her bed, one hand next to her hip steadying himself as he leaned over her. His fingers cupped her cheek, as his thumb caressed along her cheekbone, down to brush along her lower lip before pulling away. He turned his back and walked away quickly, disappearing into the shadows of the hospital wing.

  


* * *

  


Ron awoke the next day. The scarring was still bad but his nerves had healed. Harry became a more frequent visitor.

 

Sometimes Hermione wondered if her late night talk with Theo had even really happened. He barely glanced her way anymore.

 

Hermione had begun to miss him. She watched him interact with everyone but her. He had even stopped helping Madam Pomfrey with her care, focusing on other patients instead. Frequently she would try to catch his eye but he always turned away just in time to miss it.

 

“Did you and Nott have a fight while I was out of it?” Ron asked, as Theo once again evaded Hermione’s attempts to make him notice her.

 

“What on earth would we fight about? We barely speak to each other,” Hermione replied evasively, wishing it wasn’t true.

 

The next day, Ron was released but Madam Pomfrey wanted to keep Hermione one more night, just to be sure she was recovered enough to leave. It had been exactly a week since her talk with Theo.

 

As soon as she heard the door close, Hermione sat up waiting for him to come near, fully prepared to get up if necessary. It wasn’t.

 

“We can’t be friends, Granger.” Theo’s face was impassive. “Stop trying to get my attention. It will only make it harder later.”

 

“So that’s it? You tell me all this really personal stuff and then expect me not to care?”

 

Theo sighed heavily, “nothing will change. It’s easier if… if we don’t get… attached to each other.”

 

“What if I don’t want that?”

 

“Granger, please don’t be difficult about this. I cannot risk becoming attached to you. It’s too dangerous. Please, please stop watching me with hope shining in those big beautiful eyes of yours. One day, in the not too distant future, you’ll be crossing wands with death eaters. I don’t want to see you hesitate, wondering if it’s me behind the mask,” Theo pleaded with her, fingers tightly gripping the railing at the end of her hospital bed.

 

“What if it’s already too late for that?” Hermione asked watching his face carefully.

 

“That… this was not my intention. When I spoke to you before… I just… I wanted someone to fight for me; later, when all this is done if we both survive… I really don’t want to be handed to the Dementors. When that time comes… save me?”

 

“There are lots of ways to save a person,” Hermione answered carefully.

 

“Tomorrow you are being released. These little opportunities to talk will be lost to us. The temptation to try to lure your attention from Weasley will be gone. By the time summer is over you’ll be back to wallowing over the red headed idiot that doesn’t truly see you. That’s how it should be.”

 

“I don't believe that.”

 

“Of course you don't. You champion house elves for Salazar’s sake. I won't be your next pet project. How would you explain to your friends? Or mine? Draco would go insane if he caught us talking civilly. I doubt Potter or Weasley would react much better. We can't be friends, Granger.”

 

Hermione watched as he turned around and fled into the darkness of the office. Her foot was halfway to the floor before she stopped herself. She still had time. Hunting him down tonight would achieve nothing.

 

As she sank down into the bed, pulling blankets up around her, she replayed his words in her head. Over and over, determined not to lose a single word. He chose his words as carefully as she did.

 

Next time she saw him, she would show him how wrong he was. She wouldn't give up on him.

 

She couldn't.

  


When she awoke, he wasn't there. Nor was he there when she was discharged. Harry and Ron came to meet her, Harry grabbed her bag when she checked for the third time that she had everything. Teasing her about her thoroughly she checked. Ron began looking around. Hermione suspected she knew who he was looking for. Was she that obvious?

 

“Okay, I'm done. Let's go,” Hermione sighed. “I can always come back if I'm missing something.”

 

Ron was watching her far more carefully than he would usually. Sometimes she unestimated him.

 

There were only a few days left before they left the castle for summer. The few classes they had were mostly just setting homework for the summer, something Ron complained bitterly about.

 

“We don't even know if we'll be taking any of this next year yet! Why do they expect us to do extra work for nothing?”

 

“Homework is never for nothing. It will show you if you want to carry on. It will be nice to have an idea of the sort of work we can expect for our N.E.W.T’s.”

 

“I already know what I'm dropping,” Ron scoffed.

 

“You have to pass first, Weasley,” Malfoy sneered bumping his shoulder against Ron almost knocking him to the floor. The rest of his group laughed on cue as Ron stumbled. Hermione tried to catch Theo’s eye as he passed them, but he kept his gaze averted running his hand through his hair, providing an extra barrier between them.

 

Then they were gone.

 

That was the only time Hermione saw Theo outside of mealtimes. Even on the Hogwarts express he was nowhere to be seen.

 

That summer spent at the Burrow was one of the happiest she could remember. Days spent with Harry, Ron, and Ginny were always full of laughter, even if that meant she was needed on a broom to even up the numbers.

 

Hermione always noticed things. Things like how Harry was starting to look at Ginny, even if he wasn't aware of it himself.

 

There were fractures in her picture perfect summer; terrible news reached them fairly regularly as the long days became cooler and the nights had become longer again.

 

The closer it came to going back to school, the more she thought of him.

 

She had tried to forget him; for him to become part of the fabric of the school once more, just as he wanted. But she couldn't.

 

Every time news came, she thought of him. She hadn't told the order anything. None of the hints he gave her about Voldemort's location and plans were much more than rumours.

 

Sixth year meant more mixed classes, therefore a greater chance that she would have more lessons with him. Half-formed plans occupied her mind as the last days of August faded away.

 

Frequently, she found herself torn between emerging feelings for Ron and her fascination with Theo.

 

The house system that had kept them divided for the last five years meant approaching one another within school was nearly impossible. Even in the classes they shared, students naturally fell into their usual seats with students from their own houses. Sometimes three of the houses would mix, but the fourth always stayed with their own. She wondered if it was a choice Slytherin students made themselves or if this divide had been created by the bad reputation that lingered over that house for decades, maybe even centuries.

 

Hermione refused to give up on him. In fact, it only made her more determined. There was one place she was guaranteed to see him. The only problem was getting in there. Her first opportunity came when Katie Bell landed awkwardly during training, twisting her ankle. The two girls hobbled up to the hospital wing together as Katie leaned heavily on Hermione.

 

“Oh dear, oh dear, Quidditch injury?” Madam Pomfrey asked as the two girls entered the hospital wing.

 

“It’s my ankle, I twisted it landing,” Katie said as she sank onto the nearest bed. Hermione fell into the chair next to her.

 

“Mr Nott, can you take this one please?” Madam Pomfrey shouted to her assistant. Hermione sat up a little straighter. Theo’s step faltered as he spotted her sat there waiting.

 

Theo barely spoke as he tended to Katie’s ankle. His back rigid and his face impassive the tension was palpable.

 

“Do you two have some kind of history?” Katie asked glancing between them, but before either could respond she continued, “you could be a little less obvious about it, whatever it is that’s going on.”

 

“Nothing is going on. You must have misread the situation,” Theo said avoiding her eye.

 

“Uh huh, sure nothing strange going on,” Katie said getting up, testing her weight on her foot. “My ankle feels great. I’ll wait outside.”

 

Katie closed the curtains around them, stepping outside of them. They heard her talking to Madam Pomfrey, distracting her to give them time.

 

The silence that followed was not comfortable.

 

The low murmur of voice floated from beyond the curtain, Theo sank to perch on the edge of the bed. Still neither spoke, their precious few minutes were slipping away. Hermione took a deep breath.

 

“Did you have a good summer?” Hermione asked feigning a brightness she didn’t feel.

 

“No,” Theo said letting out a humourless laugh.

 

“Oh, no, I don’t suppose you did. Sorry,” Hermione apologised gently.

 

“It was a reasonable attempt at conversation. A safer topic might have been schoolwork. A worse topic would have been the war. A dangerous topic would be how frequently my thoughts drifted in your direction, that somehow, despite how little time we spent together, I missed you.” Theo got up quickly and left. It was becoming a habit; one Hermione wasn’t fond of.

 

This time she could follow him, pushing the curtain aside she found Katie stood just the otherside.

 

“He’s gone. What did you say to make him so flustered?”

 

“It’s what he told me. I didn't really say much,” Hermione said as they left the Hospital wing.

 

“If you ever need to talk, about anything, and you don’t want to talk to Harry or Ron you can come find me,” Katie said smiling at her. “I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”

 

“Thank you, I’m okay though,” Hermione replied, wishing it was true.

 

“He can’t be that bad if he’s trying to become a healer. He’s kinda cute too,” Katie said. Hermione appreciated the effort.

 

* * *

  
  


It was weeks before they spoke again.

 

They would often pass in corridors, or see each other in class. When their eyes met, the moment never lasted for long. Sometimes, Hermione would catch him staring at her in class, a hint of blush would spread across his cheeks.

 

Hermione began finding any excuse possible to go to the Hospital Wing. Visiting sick students to bring them the latest homework was her most frequent excuse. None of these visits gave her a chance to talk to him, but she would often catch him hovering nearby, listening in on her conversations.

 

The holidays were fast approaching, her relationship with Ron was becoming confusing, and she couldn’t get a certain Slytherin out of her mind. Slughorn’s christmas party only made matters worse. With Ron now dating Lavender, she considered asking Theo to go with her. In the end, she went with McLaggen, just to annoy Ron.

 

Having escaped the party, and her date for the evening, Hermione wandered down a corridor attempting to fix her hair a little before reaching the common room. Suddenly, a hand closed around her arm, pulling her into an empty classroom. The door slammed shut, her back was pressed up against it as an angry looking Slytherin sneered down at her.

 

“ _Cormac?!_ Of all the people you could have taken why _him?_ If you’d have heard some of the things he was saying about your upcoming date…” Theo trailed off as Hermione began to giggle.

 

“Are you… are you jealous?”

 

“Me? Jealous of that oaf? Why would I be jealous of him? Quidditch players are idiots, one too many bludgers to the head,” he replied scoffing.

 

“It’s not like I could ask you,” Hermione replied softly.

 

“Would you? If… if things weren’t so… would you have asked me? Really? Why?”

 

“It’s always good to have a healer around,” Hermione shrugged. “Oafish Quidditch players can be clumsy.”

 

“Did he hurt you?” he asked, turning serious. Looking her over, hands hovering respectfully not touching.

 

“I don’t think so, but maybe I should get checked out. Do you know anyone who could make me feel better?”

 

“What are your symptoms?”

 

“My heart is beating fast, my stomach feels like a bunch pixies are having a party, there’s heat in my cheeks, and… and when you’re this close my brain goes fuzzy, a buzzing fills my ears. I don’t know what to do, is there a cure?”

 

Theo stared down at her, the faint pink was back in his cheeks. “This is a bad idea… it’s stupid to be this close… we shouldn’t…”

 

“We’re teenagers. We’re meant to do stupid things. Can’t you think of anything that could cure my symptoms?” Hermione asked again.

“There is one treatment we could try,” Theo said, leaning in. “I wouldn’t call it a cure though.”

 

“I’m willing to try whatever you suggest. I’ve tried to fight it off on my own but I can’t.”

 

“I think it might be contagious. I’ve been suffering something similar myself.”

 

“Sometimes you need to let a fever get worse so it burns itself out. Perhaps that’s what we need to do,” Hermione said.

 

Theo was so close, Hermione could feel his breath against her cheek, tickling her hair where strands were still dangling against her face. This close she could see how deep the blue of his eyes truly was. One hand of his was against the door by her head, the other came up to brush her hair aside, before slowly moving to circle her waist.

 

Theo was still hesitating, Hermione closed her eyes and moved to meet him. He was so close she hardly moved at all to close the gap between them. His hand tightened on her waist as she brushed her lips gently against his. A small, pained whine escaped him as his control broke, gathering her closer to him. Theo’s hands gripped her thighs as he lifted her, using his body to hold her against the door. Hermione could barely keep up with his kisses, heat spreading through her as they broke for breath.

 

Nuzzling at her neck, Hermione barely caught his words.

 

“What?”

 

“I said, the treatment, did it work? How are your symptoms?”

 

“Oh, I think… I think I need more treatment.”

 

“We… might need to meet often. I think regular treatments are necessary. It’s probably best you only come to me for this particular treatment though, wouldn’t want this spread throughout the school,” Theo said between kisses along her neck and collarbone.

 

“I agree. What about… everything else?”

 

“What’s coming will come, for now, let’s just enjoy this,” Theo said before distracting her with another kiss, stealing her breath once more.


End file.
